Spring Fever
by KatLeePT
Summary: Brisco and Bowler can't seem to get their mess together, so Comet finally does it for them. Slash. The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.


Humans can be so silly. They think theirs is the master species, the one meant to rule above all the rest of us. They even have their naive, little stories about how God supposedly placed us animals in their hands for protection - I don't have to tell you how little protection we would have received if we had relied on them! Not many of them are at all like my Brisco, and you notice he's mine, not the other way around. He knows it too!

Yet he still tries to hide things from me, silly man! Of course, as he's admitted to me before in his ramblings, humans do try to hide from their own selves. That's why they drink too many of those things in bottles, but as Brisco is smart enough to know, and has also admitted, no amount of their liquors can make them forget who or where they are for very long, or the secrets from which they're trying to hide.

I don't know why it bothers them so much. Love is natural, in whatever form it decides to take. I've seen two men together before. So has Brisco, and he'll be the first to admit that he likes to watch two or more women of his species together. Heck, I've even seen a pig and a cow together, so what's the big deal about him and Bowler?

Is it the fact that they look so very different? That doesn't matter either! All animals come in all kinds of colors! There are blacks and whites in my own species, along with grays and browns, chestnut reds, and even some blondes! And just look at the smaller animals: Why, I've even seen a purple bird before and a blue lizard! God likes His colors!

I wish I could talk some sense into them. I've tried with Brisco - at least he's finally learned to understand me -, but talking to Bowler is like trying to talk to a dumb stump! The man never listens! And he thinks too highly of himself too!

That's exactly why he thinks he's hiding now, dressed in the feathers and paints of the tribe with whom he grew up. He thinks he's camouflaged so efficiently that Brisco and I don't see him. Perhaps Brisco doesn't, but I smelled him long before I saw him. He still reeks of the alcohol in those bottles he and Brisco indulged in last night.

Sometimes, I don't think he's any good for my human, right now and last night being prime examples why Brisco deserves better than Bowler. He deserves a mate who will court him up front and out in the open, not try to hide bury his romantic inclinations in countless bottles of reeking liquor or deny what's perfectly natural. If only I could talk to the man! Maybe what he really needs is a good, swift kick in the -

My thoughts break off as Bowler yells, trying his best to sound like an Indian. Thank God this place isn't one of our normal routes, or I'd die from embarrassment in front of the other horses. But nobody knows us here, and it is Spring time. Truthfully, that's probably a lot of the reason I'm having such trouble with the boys these days: They claim animals have trouble in the Spring, but our worst cases are nothing compared to their Spring fevers!

Still, if the man wants to race, I'm happy to oblige - and he can eat my dust! Unlike his ride, I haven't imbibed in any of man's liquor. My powerful legs eat up the miles leading from the town and into the forest quickly. Still, I have to hand it to him: Bowler doesn't give up. He and his horse keep pounding behind us, but they do keep _behind_ us. He should know Brisco and I won't be caught unless we want to, and I'm the one in charge - not Brisco, who keeps trying to pull up my reins and let Bowler catch up a little.

It's not going to happen, Brisc. You deserve better than this man who would rather drown his desire for you in alcohol than just face facts, face hormones, and kiss you. One good tumble through the hay, and you've both be so much better off, but he's determined to hide. He thinks he's a trickster, that one, but the sad fact is that he's only tricking himself if he truly believes he doesn't love you.

I've seen it too many times which I guess is the problem and why I can't really just outrun him and never let the two of you catch back up together. Despite everything he's tried, he genuinely cares for you. There was a time in our lives when I was the only one who would have shed a tear over your passing, but I've seen how he looks every time it looks like you've bought the big ranch in the sky. I even heard him sing that night the orb saved your life. Man's got a good set of chops on him, if only he'd use them for the right reasons - singing and kissing you rather than the bull he's always spouting.

That's the problem, really. He just needs to kiss you one good time, and that'll shut up both of your denials. You don't want Dixie, or any other woman. You want him. I know. You can lie to yourself, Brisco, but you can't lie to me. It's too bad I can't talk to his dumb horse and get him to somehow work with me. If we could toss you boys at just the right angle, maybe we could get gravity to pull you together and let your natural hormones do the rest of the work.

But I've tried talking to that horse. He's almost as dumb as his rider, and every bit as stubborn! You're too stubborn for your own good too, you know, Brisco. You're just as much to blame, even though I don't like blaming you, as Bowler is. You could make the first move instead of chasing all these skirts that change practically every week. If you did, he'd surely follow. For all his blustery bravado, he's really a scared kid at heart.

You both are. Somebody's going to have to take a hoof in the matter. I whinny, suddenly screeching to a stop. There's a cliff just in front of us, but I'm not concerned about that. I've known it's been coming for a good hundred feet now, not that your human sensibilities will ever let you catch on to the lay of the land like my own natural instincts.

I could have stopped later or before, but then that wouldn't have sent you flying from the saddle and landing on the ground in front of me. You wouldn't be cussing or showing me that rope you've had in your back pocket for a few days now. I grab it before you can stop me. You whirl, angry, cussing, eyes blazing, but then you stop and stare as Bowler finally catches up to us.

"What's the matter, Brisco? Scared I was catching you?" Bowler does that funny laugh of his, causing my ears to lay back against my head, as he dismounts and comes near you. I have to hand it to him: he's not even paying attention to the cliff right now.

But the cliff isn't what matters. Brisco, I've got your number, as your people say, and I'm tired of your silly, little, stupid games. You've stooped to Bowler's level too many times, but I'm about to scoop you both.

"Comet - " My head bucks as you approach. "Come on, boy." I take a few steps back. Don't use that tone with me, County! "Give me the rope." You can keep stretching out your hand, but I'm not giving you this rope! I know what's best for you, and it's about damn time somebody made you two realize it too! I toss my head again and, with it, the rope. With a quick snatch of my teeth, I snap the rope tight around you and your man, tug, and let gravity do the rest.

You fall together. You yelp; Bowler cusses. You both yell my name, but I've got you where you belong finally and am not about to let go! I take a few steps further backward, drawing the rope tighter closed around you. You're on top of Bowler, your mouths only inches apart. Yet, again, you're being stupid and using your mouth for talking when it's needed for other things.

"Comet, what do you - "

I stomp my feet, wriggle my ears, flash my tail, but I do not let go of the rope. I tug you tighter again. You look at me. I meet your gaze, and I do my very best to tell you, with my unblinking eyes, just what your human butt should be doing right now. I've given you the opportunity, man! Use it!

Thank God you actually do! With an excited whinny, I drop the rope. I try to snatch it back, but you've already grabbed it. But you also haven't lifted your mouth from Bowler's! I may not like the man, but he's still good for you, Brisco. He's still what you need. Now _take_ what you need, damn it!

I whinny in disappointment, swishing my tail again, as your mouth lifts slightly from Bowler's. I stamp the ground with my hooves again, telling you how stupid a mistake you're making. You humans think you're all so smart, but if you were truly smart, you'd take what you need, especially when the person you need it from is more than willing to give it!

I blow air out of my nostrils impatiently, and you look up at me from Bowler. Damn it, don't look at me! Look at him! Kiss him again! Take what's yours, County!

"Br-Brisco?" Bowler asks softly, uncertainly. I snort, smelling the fear rafting off of him. Of course he'd be dumb enough to be scared! I whicker again, telling you yet again what you should be doing. I've set up everything for you! Are you really that stupid to let this moment slip through your fingers? Of course you are -

"Bowler, I - " You look back down, look into his eyes, and I still once more. Good human. That's what you need to be doing. Now don't look back at me. Keep looking at him. Kiss him again!

"You mean to do that?" Bowler asks breathlessly. Damn, stupid human! Of course he meant to do that! It's what you both want! It takes every inch of my will power not to run over there and try to trample you two together!

"O-Of course I meant to do that." I hear the sound of your tongue running nervously over your lips. HUMANS! What is there to be so blasted nervous about?! He already wants you! Just take him! Take what's yours! "U-Unless you didn't like it."

"I didn't say that." He laughs that blasted laughs of his again, and I so badly want to kick him! I tremble with anticipation, forcing myself to stay still, praying you two will finally get your crap together -

"Bowler?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind if I do that again?"

OF COURSE HE WOULDN'T MIND! I can't stand it any longer! My whinny splits the air, but Brisco doesn't look up this time. He doesn't look up, because he's finally busy doing what I've been trying to get him to do for so long. He's busy taking what's his, kissing Bowler as he should have been doing all along.

Bowler's arms wrap around my Brisco. I know the man's strong. Even if I don't like him, I've seen the proof. He's got more brawn than brains, as is the case with too many humans - I glance at his horse - and other animals too. But finally, he's using his strength for what he should be doing and crushing you to him.

I whinny. My tail sways behind me in the breeze. It took getting drunk, a silly race, and far too much other mess to get you humans here, but at least you're finally here! I still don't like Bowler, but you've been with a lot worse. Still, I know he's what you need right now, and he's damn lucky to have you.

I guess, in a way, we all are, Brisco, but I'm just happy you finally listened and are about to get what you deserve. My head lifts, and I grin big as I watch proudly over you. This is yet another debt you're going to owe me, you know that, right?

"The horses are watching," Bowler mutters, having stopped your kiss again.

Stupid human! Of course we're watching! I want to make sure you do this right!

"Comet," you call without looking at me - I guess I can forgive you that slight this time, given the circumstances -, "we'll catch up later."

I whinny softly and flick my tail at you silly, silly humans. Ah, well, you've gotten this far with my help. Hopefully you can manage the rest on your own. The breeze is rising, and it's time for me to go find a little Spring fever of my own. I whinny softly, smiling, and go in search of something else worth my time.

I pause only once to look back at Bowler's horse, who's still standing in the same place he was when his human dismounted and looking as stupid as I know he is. _Hey,_ I whicker to him, my tail swishing, _there's some sweet grass over there._ I nod at the area with my head, and he plods over.

I look back at you two one last time. You're back to kissing, which is good and what you should be doing. My laughter whickers into the Spring air as I trot along my business. I think you two can actually handle things from here, and besides, there's a certain, little filly back in town who I want to get to know better. Good loving, Brisco, and maybe some of your brains will accidentally rub off onto Bowler. I know it'll be an accident, but God knows the man can use 'em. Just like you two need to use each other, because only you have what the other needs for now. I don't know for how long, but I have a feeling Bowler will be with us for a long time to come. As long as you're happy, no matter how much of a pain in my tail he is, that's what really matters.

The End


End file.
